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Alchemical Exiles
Not yet published
Expected 20 Nov 26Kraghtol, the only half-orc of Wardenreach, finally found his acceptance among friends, just in time to lose everything else.
Branded with an alchemical contract that threatens to kill him, he has no choice but to leave his home behind and cross the ancient alchemical border where the Wild Lands await, full of orcs, trolls and fey who are nothing like what Wardenreach teaches.
Joined by the dwarf chasing a family legend, and the noble who gave up ballrooms and feather beds to be with the man he loves, Kraghtol must learn to wield untold powers, bargain with beings older than the border itself, and stand against living weapons of war, as the Queen who branded him quietly sets her own plans in motion.
Alchemical Exiles is an emotional fantasy with slow-burn M/M romance about freedom, the lies we grow up with and the fight for a place to belong. The epic saga continues.
Branded with an alchemical contract that threatens to kill him, he has no choice but to leave his home behind and cross the ancient alchemical border where the Wild Lands await, full of orcs, trolls and fey who are nothing like what Wardenreach teaches.
Joined by the dwarf chasing a family legend, and the noble who gave up ballrooms and feather beds to be with the man he loves, Kraghtol must learn to wield untold powers, bargain with beings older than the border itself, and stand against living weapons of war, as the Queen who branded him quietly sets her own plans in motion.
Alchemical Exiles is an emotional fantasy with slow-burn M/M romance about freedom, the lies we grow up with and the fight for a place to belong. The epic saga continues.
509 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 20, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
September 30, 2026
Thank you to Mike Struan for kindly giving me an ARC of this book.
Kraghtol is back and he's just as sweet, kind-hearted, and relentlessly optimistic as ever. I truly would do anything for him. There's something so precious about someone who the world has frequently been unkind to, who people have shunned and ostracised for something that the person has no control over, and who is judged based on their appearance alone being unwaveringly kind to everyone he meets. It's exactly the kind of protagonist that I adore. Kragh has every reason to be cynical and resentful of the world and the people in it, yet he chooses kindness instead. I could cry about him.
This was a fantastic sequel to Alchemical Dreamer. The world building is so expansive and detailed. Adventuring into the Wild Lands felt very Tolkien meets DnD vibes, which I absolutely loved. Kragh, Valir, and Dagna (mostly Dagna) have to overcome a lot of trials and hurdles in the Wild Lands, whilst searching for answers, and trying to prevent a full scale war from breaking out. The dynamic between the three of them is so good; I love that Dagna is half exasperated with Kragh and Valir, whilst also missing their company when she heads out on her own. They all work really well together and have such a fun and wholesome dynamic. The cuddling scene between Kragh and Valir was so sweet but also hilarious. It was a real standout moment for me.
The map and Alchemy illustration at the beginning of the book were incredible. They were both absolutely beautiful pieces of art and I loved the visual reference for the places explored in the book. I adore a map in fantasy.
Valir had so much incredible character development in this book and it felt very believable and organic for him. He frequently discovers that the real world is nothing like what he's been told. He was brought up to see races as other and inferior to him, both as a human and social status, but finds that Trolls, Orcs, and Fae are nothing like he was taught. It clearly rattles him and it takes a lot of willingness to learn and being open to restructuring his world view for him to change his behaviour. It was so lovely to see and it's another brilliant example of overcoming prejudice by stepping outside of his environment and actually meeting people rather than believing what he's been taught.
Dagna was so vibrant. I love her. Her passion for mechanical workings is so infectious and I love how she was the one who frequently came up with the plans in the group. She definitely carried the brain cell between them.
Vrogh was another great character. He was so sweet and also showed that once he was out of a prejudice environment, he became much more open-minded and willing to learn about the world around him.
The Trolls were such a great addition. I really liked the emphasis on their oral history and them not writing things down. It felt like a fresh take on them and added a lot of depth to their characters. I also loved that the Fae were basically useless; usually they're the All Knowing ones in fantasy so it was fun that they basically did nothing but play tricks and have tea parties.
I won't say too much on the ending because I don't want to spoil it for people but WHEW. I'm so excited and nervous to see what happens in the third book.
Kraghtol is back and he's just as sweet, kind-hearted, and relentlessly optimistic as ever. I truly would do anything for him. There's something so precious about someone who the world has frequently been unkind to, who people have shunned and ostracised for something that the person has no control over, and who is judged based on their appearance alone being unwaveringly kind to everyone he meets. It's exactly the kind of protagonist that I adore. Kragh has every reason to be cynical and resentful of the world and the people in it, yet he chooses kindness instead. I could cry about him.
This was a fantastic sequel to Alchemical Dreamer. The world building is so expansive and detailed. Adventuring into the Wild Lands felt very Tolkien meets DnD vibes, which I absolutely loved. Kragh, Valir, and Dagna (mostly Dagna) have to overcome a lot of trials and hurdles in the Wild Lands, whilst searching for answers, and trying to prevent a full scale war from breaking out. The dynamic between the three of them is so good; I love that Dagna is half exasperated with Kragh and Valir, whilst also missing their company when she heads out on her own. They all work really well together and have such a fun and wholesome dynamic. The cuddling scene between Kragh and Valir was so sweet but also hilarious. It was a real standout moment for me.
The map and Alchemy illustration at the beginning of the book were incredible. They were both absolutely beautiful pieces of art and I loved the visual reference for the places explored in the book. I adore a map in fantasy.
Valir had so much incredible character development in this book and it felt very believable and organic for him. He frequently discovers that the real world is nothing like what he's been told. He was brought up to see races as other and inferior to him, both as a human and social status, but finds that Trolls, Orcs, and Fae are nothing like he was taught. It clearly rattles him and it takes a lot of willingness to learn and being open to restructuring his world view for him to change his behaviour. It was so lovely to see and it's another brilliant example of overcoming prejudice by stepping outside of his environment and actually meeting people rather than believing what he's been taught.
Dagna was so vibrant. I love her. Her passion for mechanical workings is so infectious and I love how she was the one who frequently came up with the plans in the group. She definitely carried the brain cell between them.
Vrogh was another great character. He was so sweet and also showed that once he was out of a prejudice environment, he became much more open-minded and willing to learn about the world around him.
The Trolls were such a great addition. I really liked the emphasis on their oral history and them not writing things down. It felt like a fresh take on them and added a lot of depth to their characters. I also loved that the Fae were basically useless; usually they're the All Knowing ones in fantasy so it was fun that they basically did nothing but play tricks and have tea parties.
I won't say too much on the ending because I don't want to spoil it for people but WHEW. I'm so excited and nervous to see what happens in the third book.
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